thelionkingfanonfandomcom-20200214-history
Rafiki (The Lion King: Revisited)
Rafiki is a male mandrill. He serves as an adviser to the ruler of Pride Rock. Apearence Rafiki's pelt is blue-gray, while his underbelly is pale gray. He also has a white mane and goatee. His eyes are black. Personality At his core, Rafiki is a royal adviser, able to utilize his shamanistic abilities and deep wisdom to benefit the many kings of the Pride Lands, from regal Mufasa to still-learning Simba. The old baboon appears to have abilities that none of the other characters understand, as he can read omens and signs in the wind and communicate with the Great Kings of the Past. His ability to synchronize with nature gives him a good sense of the world, clearing his thoughts for wisdom and leading him to be at the right place at the right time. Not only is Rafiki in tune with the world around him, but he is as wise as his years suggest. From the very beginning, he is shown to be a respected figure, as the animals part before him during Simba's presentation to let him pass. He is also able to recognize a good leader when he sees one, lamenting Scar's rise to power and the death of a noble line of rulers. In recognizing good leadership, Rafiki is able to establish order once more by bringing back a lion of noble blood, convincing him of his own accountability. In doing so, Rafiki establishes himself as one with a good sense of responsibility, as he has taken the time to bring Simba back himself, not leaving it up to the young lion to figure out on his own. Though insightful on the inside, Rafiki does not always match up on the outside. Loud-mouthed and as outgoing as they come, the old baboon does not fear judgment, taking it upon himself to be as annoying and energetic as possible in order to bring about order in the Pride Lands. His methods are often bothersome to the other creatures around him, as he doesn't mind crossing social barriers in order to nudge others in the right direction. This can be seen when he chants nonstop in Simba's ear and tugs provokingly at Kovu's tail. His energy is plentiful, and he is capable of outrunning a lion when pent up on excitement. However, when this energy is vented in anger, Rafiki proves himself to be a rather dangerous foe, capable of taking on a large group of hyenas single-handedly. His high-strung personality can be deadly, though it is more often than not used for good. Despite these odd bursts of vivacity, Rafiki is a gentle caretaker and a loyal friend. When handling infant Simba, he is shown to be soft in his movements and eager to play, shaking the gourds on his staff above the infant's head. He is also courteous of the child's parents, always looking to them for assurance before handling the cub, and harbors friendly relations with both, though more so with Mufasa. In keeping this promise, which spans the course of many years, Rafiki establishes a covenant with the royal family, devoting himself entirely to their kingdom and their betterment. Dedicated and loyal, he has been a constant heart of the kingdom and continues to serve even in his old age. History Rafiki reveals himself after Timon decides to leave his colony and find "a new dream home." That night, Timon starts to cry because he himself has no idea where he should go. As he does so, Rafiki appears, looking down from the Tree of Life. From an upside-down position, he informs Timon that which way he goes should depend upon what he is looking for. Spooked, Timon falls to the ground. He then asks Rafiki where he'd come from, to which Rafiki replies, "Oh, the better question is: where are you going?" Timon explains to him that he wants to live outside the colony in a wonderful place without worries. He asks Rafiki if he'd heard his song, "Meerkat Rhapsody," which expresses his need for that place, but Rafiki hadn't heard it. Rafiki then jumps from the tree and says that Timon is actually looking for "Hakuna Matata." Timon mistakes the phrase for "harpoon of tomato," but Rafiki explains that it means "no worries." Timon asks Rafiki to draw a map to Hakuna Matata, but Rafiki smacks him over the head with the stick. He goes into his mystic-monkey pose and vaguely says that Timon must "look behind what he sees" to find a life without worries. Timon doesn't understand again, but Rafiki just repeats his advice. Timon wrongly understands it to mean "go to the farthest thing you see" and decides to go to Pride Rock. He wants to ask Rafiki if he is right, but the old baboon is gone. Rafiki arrives at the presentation of Simba. All the gathered animals make way for him, and some even bow with respect, while he returns the salute with a smile. Greeting one another on top of Pride Rock, Mufasa and Rafiki embrace as close friends. They then come to Sarabi, who shows her newborn child, Simba, to Rafiki. Rafiki smiles at him and starts to perform a ceremony over the future king. First, he lifts his stick above Simba's head, and Simba tries to catch it with his little paws. Then Rafiki breaks a piece of fruit in two parts and smears its juice on Simba's forehead. He then sprinkle a small amount of dust on his head and takes the little prince in his arms, carrying him to the edge of Pride Rock, where he raises him so all the animals can see him. When the ceremony ends, Rafiki returns home to his tree. There, as it rains, Rafiki drafts a stylized picture of Simba on his tree, chuckling to himself and murmuring the cub's name, "Simba." A few months later, Scar brings news that Mufasa and Simba were killed in a stampede of wildebeests. Rafiki also hears the news and comes close enough to Pride Rock to see Scar take the throne and let the hyenas, mortal enemies of the lions, come to Pride Rock. Rafiki sighs sadly, mourning Mufasa, Simba, and the old kingdom. He soon returns to his tree and runs his hand over his drawing of Simba, blotting him out of the Circle of Life. After Mufasa dies, Rafiki decides to see Timon's colony and tell his mother that he'd helped her son find what he's looking for. However, when Ma hears what Rafiki had told her son, she hits him in the head with his own stick, catches him by the goatee, and yells, "You used a metaphor on Timon?! He takes things literally!" She then decides to go and find her son, who is probably in trouble. Rafiki reminds her, "Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step," and she replies with, "Thanks. Here's my first step," jumping squarely onto his foot. Years into Scar's reign, Rafiki sits on the crown of his tree and grabs a pile of leaves, dirt, grass, and flower petals that's floating on the breeze. He takes the mixture into an empty turtle shell and investigates it until he realizes that it contains traces of Simba, who is supposed to have been dead for several years. At first, Rafiki is confused by this new knowledge, but he soon runs to his smeared drawing and, realizing that Simba is now a young adult lion, draws him with a thick red mane. Getting ready to help Simba to take his place in the Circle of Life, Rafiki exclaims, "It is time!" After a few days of travel, Rafiki finds a young adult Simba in the jungle. Simba does not remember Rafiki, as he had been too young when he last saw the baboon. That evening, Simba, in a bad mood, makes a face at Rafiki as the baboon tries to attract his attention by singing a song. Simba moves away from him, demanding to know who he is. Rafiki asks Simba who he is, and Simba admits that he himself is no longer so sure. Rafiki says that he knows who Simba is, Mufasa's son. Simba is surprised by this revelation, but Rafiki calmly says, "Bye," and leaves. He climbs on a rock and meditates on it. Shortly after this, Simba comes and asks Rafiki if he once knew his father. Rafiki corrects him, saying that he still knows Mufasa. Thinking that Rafiki doesn't know about Mufasa's death, Simba tells him that the king is dead. Rafiki tells Simba that he is wrong again and says that Mufasa is still alive. He shows Simba the entrance to a patch of jungle and tells him that he will show Mufasa to him. Simba follows Rafiki through the dense vegetation until Rafiki stops him. The old baboon makes a passage in the grass for Simba and tells him to look down the slope. Simba does so and sees a small lake. Simba looks at the lake, expecting to see his father, as Rafiki had said, but is disappointed when he sees that there is only his reflection. Simba says, "That's not my father. It's just my reflection," but Rafiki tells him that he needs to look harder. Simba looks at his reflection a little deeper, and it turns into an image of Mufasa. Simba is shocked, but Rafiki explains that this has happened because Mufasa actually "lives in Simba." Mufasa's ghost presently appears in the sky, and Rafiki steps aside to let his old friend talk to his son and convince him to return to Pride Rock and take his place as king. After the ghost leaves Simba, Rafiki comes to him and makes a comment about the strange weather, to which Simba replies, "Yeah. Looks like the winds are changing." Rafiki says that the change is good, but Simba expresses worry over facing his past. Rafiki suddenly hits the lion on the head with his stick. Simba asks what that was for, and Rafiki says that it doesn't matter, for it is in the past now. When Simba says that the hit still hurts, Rafiki says that the past often can hurt, but one can either run from it or learn from it. He tries to hit Simba one more time, but Simba now knows what he should do and steps away at the right time. He takes Rafiki's stick with his teeth, throwing it into the grass. Rafiki comes to take the stick back, but when again he turns to Simba, he sees that the young lion has started running off. Rafiki asks him where he is going, and Simba says that he is going back home. Rafiki is happy to be able to see Simba take the right step as he disappears into the savanna grass. The next morning, Rafiki decides to inform Simba's friends that Simba has gone back to the Pride Lands. He sees Timon and Pumbaa as well as Nala talking about where Simba is. Moments later, after Nala and Pumbaa decide to leave the jungle in order to help Simba, Timon stays behind. Come nightfall, Rafiki appears in front of him, but Timon says, "You. No, no, no. Don't say a word. I know what you're gonna say." He then acts like he is Rafiki and asks, "So, did you find Hakuna Matata?" Then he is himself again and, with forced happiness and a gracious air, says, "Well, yes, I did! Thank you very much! And I am happy...happy, happy, deliriously happy." He imitates Rafiki again and says, "Ho, ho! I see. Happy, is it? So, if you're so happy, why do you look so miserable?" Timon switches back to himself. Rafiki stares sardonically at the camera, listening to Timon's messing around. Timon continues as himself, "Why should I be miserable? Oh, I don't know. Maybe my two best pals in the world deserted me. Heh. They've...they've headed off on some heroic mission. My friends..." Timon then realizes that he cannot have Hakuna Matata without friends. Rafiki nods slowly, smiling. Timon indicates with his head, saying, "Would you mind?" Rafiki then smacks him with his stick. Leaving the jungle to find his friends, Timon says, "Thanks! I'm glad we had this talk." Ascribing the credit for Timon's correct decision to himself, Rafiki says, "My work here is done." Rafiki appears in the tree above them and says that they won't find Simba in the jungle, explaining that "the king has returned." Nala is the only one of the three to understand this comment, and Timon tries to ask Rafiki what he means, but the old baboon is gone and on his way back to Pride Rock. When Rafiki arrives at Pride Rock, he sees that the lionesses and Simba are fighting with Scar and his subjects, the hyenas. When one hyena bites Simba on his neck, Rafiki hits it unconscious with his stick. Simba runs to find Scar, and Rafiki takes over the hyena-fighting. They try to attack him, but he shows surprising skills and overpowers them. After Simba defeats Scar, he comes to the entrance of Pride Rock, where Rafiki shows him that now he needs to climb up to the edge of the rock and roar, formalizing his royal title. Simba comes to him and embraces his new friend. Rafiki pats Simba's back and reminds him, "It is time." He then watches as Simba climbs the rock and becomes king. Rafiki is last time seen during the presentation of Simba and Nala's newborn cub, Kiara. He brings the young lion to the edge of Pride Rock and raises the cub so that all the animals can see their future monarch. After the presentation, Rafiki smears juice onto Kiara's forehead. He then overhears Timon and Pumbaa calling Kiara a boy, so he snickers and corrects them, making Timon and Pumbaa faint. More coming soon! Quotes Behind the scenes * Rafiki is voiced by Khary Payton. Category:WindowsMyers2018 Category:Original Characters Category:Characters Category:Males Category:Mandrills Category:Monkeys Category:The Lion King: Revisited